Toowoomba gardener dared to grow marijuana

Peter Hardwick
Reporter
Peter started in 1976 as apprentice typesetter/comp and has 32 years with The Chronicle in three stints (in between working/holidays in UK/Europe, Brisbane and Melbourne). Entered editorial from comp room in 1996.

NEWTOWN man Barry Keith Thompson reckons he can grow anything so when he was dared to grow some marijuana plants he took up the challenge.

The 67-year-old's horticultural skills were confirmed by police who turned up at his Gordon Avenue home on March 23 to find two marijuana plants, each about 1.5m in height, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

Another 50g of chopped marijuana leaf was also found during the search, police prosecutor Senior Constable Natalie Bugden told the court.

Thompson told police he never smoked the drug but had grown it as a dare and had used the chopped leaf mixed with water as mulch to fertilise the plants.

His lawyer Peter Sloane said his client had never smoked the drug and confirmed he had grown the plants as a dare.

His client, who had been retired for 11 years, had no history of drug related offences and had fully co-operated with police, Mr Sloane submitted.

Thompson pleaded guilty to producing and possessing a dangerous drug.

Magistrate Bruce Schemioneck said he accepted the plants were grown as a dare.

"Was it worth the dare?" he asked the defendant.

"In hindsight, no, Your Honour," he replied.

Suggesting Thompson stick to growing vegetables, Mr Schemioneck fined him $1000 but, noting it was his first drug related offence, ordered the conviction not be recorded.